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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24681022">personal space.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/turnaboutcafe/pseuds/turnaboutcafe'>turnaboutcafe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>cafe backrooms and serendiptuous shenanigans. [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Boys Being Boys, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Boys' Love, Childhood Friends, Childhood Sweethearts, Coffee Shops, Domestic Fluff, First Kiss, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Oikawa Tooru's Knee Injury, Running, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Volleyball Dorks in Love, basically another after the cafe closes scene, lmaooo it's so self indulgent i'm sorry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:08:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,223</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24681022</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/turnaboutcafe/pseuds/turnaboutcafe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When work at the cafe begins to get busy, Oikawa and Iwaizumi begin working closer and closer, bodies inching closer and closer as they strained to make orders faster, to make work go by quicker; Iwaizumi was fine, until the gap completely diminishes.</p>
<p>Oikawa realizes the fierce blushing of Iwaizumi's red cheeks, and a devious idea begins to seep into his mind.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>cafe backrooms and serendiptuous shenanigans. [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1774060</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>149</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>personal space.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>THIS IS JUST A PURE SELF INDULGENT FIC IM SORRY</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The coffee shop jostled with people, bodies shifting around the packed area, college students rushing around with cups of caffeine in hand, chattering animatedly with their friends. Despite the heat of the summer, the amount of orders for piping hot black coffees were astronomical, Oikawa’s hands already bruised after just an hour of working after his break. The chattering of customers, steadily rising in the air, were like music to Oikawa’s ears, the buzzing of people’s conversations melodic as he pressed the ‘large’ button on the coffee machine, relishing at the satisfying pouring sound of the coffee machine. Around him, other baristas rushed around carrying all manners of coffee cups and plates, clearing up tables as customers left them, the chaotic mess almost like a hive of worker bees; to the outsider, it seemed unorganized, uncouth, but to the trained eye, the system placed within the group was evident, working harmoniously together.</p>
<p>As Oikawa served a customer with a bright smile (which she, quite amusingly, reddened at), he took in a deep breath before he grabbed the coffee cup slid at him by Daichi, quickly reading the order that the cashier had written on it earlier. As he poured the coffee grounds into the age old, rustic coffee machine in front of him, he swore he could still taste the freshly ground coffee he’d had earlier in the morning, the taste of the croissant he devoured still tingling on his tongue. His daydream continued even as he capped the coffee cup, handing it to the waiting customer with another smile and rushed greeting, before moving on to the next order. </p>
<p>The cafe was almost like some sort of mess Oikawa found home in. The job was menial, boring as he pressed the same buttons on the coffee machine and whipped the same design on each iced latte, but there was something soothing about the way the coffee making process worked, something joyful about the smiles exchanged between baristas, something funny about each annoying customer they encountered. Despite the business of the shop, there was something therapeutic about it.</p>
<p>“Are you done daydreaming, Shittykawa?” a voice rose from beside him, an empty coffee cup with scribbled orders shoved in his hand. “I’ve been calling you for a minute now. Where’s your head lost in?”</p>
<p>Startled, Oikawa turned, smiling slightly as he caught Iwaizumi’s eyes, stern as they looked at him. Giving him a sheepish smile, Oikawa took the cup in his hands, eyes scanning the messy penmanship before pouring more grounds into the coffee machine, quickly working on the order. Beside him, Iwaizumi’s hands moved with practiced ease as he worked on his own order, whip cream on top of the light brown coffee impeccable, clearly something Iwaizumi had much experience in. As Iwaizumi gave the coffee to the customer with a large, hospitable smile, Oikawa frowned.</p>
<p>“How come you never smile at me?” Oikawa complained, shoving Iwaizumi slightly as he took another cup. “You smile at every customer you meet, but you can’t even spare a smile for your best friend!”</p>
<p>“We’re best friends?”</p>
<p>“Iwa-chan!”</p>
<p>Oikawa poked at his arm in annoyance, moving to sift some weird confectioners sugar the customer had requested for on top of the whip cream, placing a dome shape lid on the top of the coffee. As the cap snapped satisfyingly into place, Oikawa handed the cup to the customer, who thanked him as he took the cup in his hands. Beside him, Iwaizumi rubbed his arm in annoyance, mumbling curses under his breath.</p>
<p>“You didn’t have to poke me that hard,” he complained, jabbing back at Oikawa.</p>
<p>“Ow!”</p>
<p>“See? That’s exactly what it feels like.”</p>
<p>Oikawa, rubbing his arm where Iwaizumi had jabbed him, instinctively grabbed at the coffee cup Daichi slid over to him across the counter. </p>
<p>With a sharp, amused look at the two of them, Daichi turned back to the register. “Stop it, you two. We have a busy day today, we can’t have one of our baristas incapacitated!”</p>
<p>“See, Iwa-chan?” Oikawa retorted, sticking his tongue out. “You nearly incapacitated me!”</p>
<p>“Do you know what incapacitated even means?”</p>
<p>“I went to college too, you know!”</p>
<p>As the day carried on, their tasks only continued to grow, the amount of orders they had to work on increasing by tenfold. By the time it had reached the afternoon, more baristas than they’d ever had working in a singular time were all around the cafe, some dedicated to serving orders from the pastry section, while some worked on coffees and iced drinks non stop, the sounds of customers chattering overtaken by the constants grumbles of the old coffee machines, accompanied by the whirring of blenders as ice drinks were whipped up. Oikawa still held the same position, hands deftly making coffee orders with Iwaizumi beside him, now working on an iced latte in the blender.</p>
<p>Slowly, the baristas began to compact, working closer and closer together, no semblance of personal space found. To his right, Akaashi was pressed close to him, mumbling something about a horrendous order while squeezing a lemon into a coffee cup (why was there even a lemon?) and to his right, Iwaizumi still worked on the coffee orders, completely pressed up against him as the counter beside him filled with empty coffee cups with orders they hadn’t fulfilled.</p>
<p>As Oikawa finished each order, he reached over Iwaizumi, grabbing across him for a coffee cup, an annoyed grunt leaving Iwaizumi’s lips each time he did so. The whip cream can, which was situated towards Oikawa’s left, became Iwaizumi’s object of interest, constantly reaching for it as he tried to continue orders, brushing past Oikawa as he did so. Discomfort rose in Iwaizumi’s face each time he was forced to press closer to Iwaizumi due to the growing number of coffee cups next to him, amusement dancing through Oikawa as he saw it rise in Iwaizumi’s face.</p>
<p>“Daichi, how many orders are there exactly?” Iwaizumi asked exasperatedly, motioning at the growing number of cups beside him. “There’s barely any space to work anymore.”</p>
<p>“Sorry,” Daichi apologized as he scribbled another order on the cup. “It’s a busy day today, I can’t do anything about it either; everyone will just have to squeeze in closer, Iwaizumi.”</p>
<p>With a grumble, Iwaizumi moved closer to Oikawa as the next coffee cup slid into the table of incomplete orders, frowning as he completed his next order. With an amused smirk, Oikawa stepped closer to Iwaizumi, distancing away from Akaashi, shoulders pressed against each other as they worked. As he did, Iwaizumi looked at him with an unamused smile, frowning at him.</p>
<p>“Oikawa, what are you doing?” Iwaizumi quipped, muscles tensing slightly.</p>
<p>“Squeezing closer, as Daichi said,” Oikawa laughed, voice trailing in the limited space between them. “The amount of orders are only growing.”</p>
<p>“There’s a thing called personal space, Asskawa,” Iwaizumi mumbled.</p>
<p>“There’s no personal space when we have a busy day of coffee making!” Oikawa announced, grinning from cheek to cheek as he looked at Iwaizumi. “I mean, there was no personal space to begin with between us. Remember when we used to squeeze into the same swing when we were kids?”</p>
<p>“That was two decades ago, Crappykawa.”</p>
<p>“Why do your nicknames for me keep evolving?!”</p>
<p>“It evolves along with your deteriorating personality,” Iwaizumi butted back, handing off an order to the next customer. “I mean, you should know that by now.”</p>
<p>“Rude, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa huffed, moving even closer to Iwaizumi. As he did, Iwaizumi’s hands paused on the coffee machine for the briefest moment, before he continued pouring hot water into the coffee machine.</p>
<p>“Stop it, Shittykawa.”</p>
<p>“Why?” Oikawa asked, amusement spreading across his face. “I mean, there really is no personal space in a coffee shop, especially a busy one. See, even Kuroo and Kenma are practically glued together, and Kuroo never even comes out as a barista ‘cause he’s too busy working on the administrative things that boring people do.”</p>
<p>At Oikawa’s comment, Iwaizumi turned around, eyes resting on Kuroo and Kenma for a moment, before turning back to the coffee he was making. Oikawa’s gaze lingered on the two, practically attached to each other with screws, before he turned back to Iwaizumi.</p>
<p>“I don’t see your point.”</p>
<p>“Don’t you know?” Oikawa teased. “They’re childhood friends, hence there’s no personal space. So, we’re childhood friends, so there’s no personal space either!”</p>
<p>“How does that make any sense?”</p>
<p>“It’s math, Iwa-chan!”</p>
<p>At his words, Iwaizumi shifted slightly further from him, a scathing gaze sent straight at him. Laughing, Oikawa continued to poke Iwaizumi, shifting closer and closer as the orders continued to pile, the irritation on Iwaizumi’s face growing larger and larger as he glared at Oikawa, practically glued onto him already.</p>
<p>“Come on, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa laughed, dispensing syrup into the plastic cup he was holding. “It’s simple math. Childhood friends are attached at the hip!”</p>
<p>“I would go crazy if I was attached by the hip with you.”</p>
<p>“Hey, Iwa-chan, rude!” Oikawa squawked, sending a look at his best friend. “You won’t even last a day without me.”</p>
<p>“Wild assumption, and untrue at best.”</p>
<p>Oikawa ignored his friend, moving closer to him, arms knocking against each other as they continued to do their work, silence overcoming them this time as daichi continued to yell orders from the counter. There was something comforting about being beside Iwaizumi, comfort in the way they stood side by side, even if it was closer than Oikawa was used to. Even amidst the busy chatter and various smells rising from the brewing of coffee in the shop, Oikawa could still take in Iwaizumi’s scent. It smelt like the cologne Oikawa had bought him once for his birthday in college, mixed with the familiar scent of Iwaizumi that Oikawa was so well acquainted with. It was a comforting scent, even amidst the chaos of work and the movement of hands over coffee machines, amidst the wild chaos that extended throughout the shop.</p>
<p>As Oikawa turned, he watched his friend for a moment, taking in his features. They were familiar, every part of Iwaizumi’s face mapped out perfectly in Oikawa’s brain. He memorized the small scar on Iwaizumi’s cheek from when he’d fallen out of a tree, the familiar straight hairline, the tall nose and sharp jaw, chiseled from the gym. It was a familiar sight to take in.</p>
<p>It was a sight Oikawa hoped he would never have to not see.</p>
<p>“Shittykawa, pass me the whip cream can.”</p>
<p>“You don’t call someone Shittykawa when you ask them to pass you a whip cream can!” Oikawa protested, smacking Iwaizumi with the rag hung up in front of him. “You’re supposed to ask them politely with a ‘please’ and ‘thank you’!”</p>
<p>“When did you ever ask me politely for anything?” Iwaizumi shot back, a withering gaze stuck on Oikawa. “You’re worse than me, there’s no competition.”</p>
<p>“How is there no competition?!”</p>
<p>“There really is no competition, Oikawa-san,” Akaashi piped up, looking up at the two of them through his glasses. “Iwaizumi-san is much better.”</p>
<p>“Even he says so,” Iwaizumi responded, smug. “So, pass me the whip cream can, Shittykawa.”</p>
<p>“No way!” Oikawa responded, turning his nose up at Iwaizumi. “You can grab it yourself.”</p>
<p>“You really are the worst.”</p>
<p>With a sigh, Iwaizumi reached over, body close to Oikawa as he reached over for the can, a light blush powdering itself over Iwaizumi’s face as his body pressed against Oikawa’s momentarily, retreating quickly with the can in hand. At the emergence of redness, Oikawa smirked, looking up at Iwaizumi, a teasing look emerging on his face.</p>
<p>“Is the reason why Iwa-chan doesn’t want me to get close,” Oikawa began, a teasing lilt evident in his voice, “is because he blushes every time I get closer?”</p>
<p>“I don’t, Crappykawa,” Iwaizumi responded gruffly, face turned away from him, faced at the counter instead. “You’re imagining things.”</p>
<p>“Your face betrays you, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa teased, shifting even closer to Iwaizumi, ignoring the own racing of his heart. “Iwa-chan is shy, isn’t he?”</p>
<p>“Shut up, Asskawa,” Iwaizumi muttered, shooting another dirty look at him as he arranged whip cream onto a cup of frothy brown coffee. </p>
<p>“Your face is the biggest betrayer of your soul,” Oikawa sang, pouring cream into the cup in his hand, poking a straw in as he handed the drink to the expectant customer. “You should see yourself right now!”</p>
<p>“Stop lying, idiot.”</p>
<p>“I’m not lying,” Oikawa protested, snaking his arm around Iwaizumi’s waist as his left hand continued making the next coffee order, right arm pulling Iwaizumi closer, Oikawa’s face close to Iwaizumi’s left ear. “See?”</p>
<p>“Stop it, Oikawa!” Iwaizumi mumbled, arms weak as he tried to peel Oikawa’s arms off, attempts futile, Oikawa’s arm only tensing more tightly around Iwaizumi’s waist. Oikawa didn’t fail to see the rising blush on Iwaizumi’s face, spreading to his ears. “Keep making your coffee, you’re going to spill something!”</p>
<p>“Then I’m lucky that I make coffee so often that I can do it with my left hand,” Oikawa laughed, pointedly pouring cream into a cup before he topped it off with a perfectly swirled dome of whip cream. “See? I can even do that. Right, ‘Kaashi-chan?”</p>
<p>“Oikawa-san is right,” Akaashi agreed from beside him. Oikawa’s amusement only rose as he saw Iwaizumi’s glare at Akaashi.</p>
<p>“Get off,” Iwaizumi finally shot, pushing Oikawa off. “I swear I’ll tell on you to Kuroo.”</p>
<p>“But you won’t,” Oikawa laughed. “I know you won’t, Iwa-chan.”</p>
<p>“Are you testing me?”</p>
<p>“Maybe,” Oikawa smiled, eyes wide and innocent as he moved it towards Iwaizumi, slipping his hand into the back pocket of his jeans.</p>
<p>“Oikawa!” Iwaizumi hissed, tone low, eyes large and steely as he stared at Oikawa’s amused ones. “Stop it, people will look!”</p>
<p>“From the front it doesn’t look terrible,” Oikawa pointed out, flicking his wrist as he decorated the top of the latte with foam swirls. “It just looks like my hand is behind you. The only one who can really see are the baristas, and they seem much too preoccupied working on the drinks, don’t you think?”</p>
<p>“I swear I’ll kill you.”</p>
<p>“You can try,” Oikawa laughed, moving the hand in Iwaizumi’s back pocket slightly. Iwaizumi tensed at it, another look sent at Oikawa, but he remained silent, mouth shut as he continued on the coffee.</p>
<p>The day dragged along, the amount of customers finally waning as they hit five in the afternoon, the baristas beginning to take breaks, some sprawled across the backroom in exhaustion, a power nap becoming a popular option among the working baristas. Despite the lack of customers, Iwaizumi and Oikawa remained at the counter, lazily working on the new orders given to them by Bokuto, who had replaced Daichi long ago as the main cashier after Daichi miscounted change one too many times out of exhaustion.</p>
<p>“Still going to report me to Kuroo?” Oikawa asked, hand retreating from Iwaizumi’s back pocket. Iwaizumi said nothing, cheeks still flushed red, the blush coming down to his neck.</p>
<p>“I’m going to kill you, Crappykawa.”</p>
<p>“In broad daylight?” Oikawa teased. “I was sure that you could commit better murders than that.”</p>
<p>Complaining as Iwaizumi hit him again with the rag, Oikawa finally relented his teasing, moving to his own spot, continuing his coffee making ventures. But, even as Iwaizumi worked on the last straggling orders to the long work day, his cheeks remained tinged pink, Oikawa’s eyes taking in each centimeter of the flush across his face, eyes averted from his drink to stare at Iwaizumi whilst he was concentrated on making his own cups of coffee, barely acknowledging Oikawa’s presence at all.</p>
<p>As the sky outside finally darkened, the number of people in the shop dwindled, the remaining customers only ordering pots of tea or hot chocolate, leaving the shop as soon as they received their drink, unlike the customers who had stayed to study or do work earlier in the day. Sighing as he sat on a stool near his work station, Oikawa wiped sweat from his brows, letting out an exhausted poof of air from his mouth. Iwaizumi sat on the stool beside him, whipping up a cup of tea for himself, eyes narrowed as he watched the tea disperse dark colors into the hot water, observing the cup with much fervor. </p>
<p>“Is that cup of tea really that interesting, Iwa-chan?” Oikawa asked, looking at him in confusion. “You’ve been staring at it for a while.”</p>
<p>“It’s more interesting than you.”</p>
<p>“Ouch, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa groaned, holding his hand to his chest. “You’ve hurt my soul!”</p>
<p>“Isn’t that what verbal attacks are supposed to do?”</p>
<p>“But you’re not supposed to attack me!”</p>
<p>Without a moment’s hesitation, Oikawa lunged at Iwaizumi, attacking his sides, the soft parts of his obliques where he’d always been ticklish. With a yelp, Iwaizumi stumbled off of his seat, cursing as Oikawa continued his interminable attack, laughter bubbling in Oikawa as he watched his friend wriggle around in discomfort, glaring daggers at Oikawa as he continued the task, moving to tickle his underarms instead.</p>
<p>“When are you two going to stop flirting?” Sugawara asked, passing them with a plate of pastries in hand. “I swear the whole of Tokyo will know that you two are flirting with how loud you guys are.”</p>
<p>“Flirting?” Iwaizumi echoed, laughter subsiding as Oikawa retracted his tickling fingers. “We’re not flirting.”</p>
<p>“Sure,” Sugawara laughed, amusement glinting in his eyes as he glanced at Oikawa momentarily. “Not flirting. Got it.”</p>
<p>Iwaizumi’s face reddened again, Oikawa poking his cheeks as he saw it. “Aw, is Iwa-chan shy?”</p>
<p>“Oikawa Tooru, I will not hesitate to pour my entire cup of boiling hot tea on top of your gelled hair.”</p>
<p>“Hey!” Oikawa protested, jerking his arms up defensively as Iwaizumi made a grab for his tea. “Don’t mess up my hair!”</p>
<p>“That’s what you’re worried about, Oikawa-san?” Akaashi asked as he passed them, a tumblr of hot chocolate in hand. “You’re not worried about your face burning off instead?”</p>
<p>Oikawa paused, pondering on Akaashi’s words for a moment. “That too! See, Iwa-chan? You can’t destroy my perfect face?”</p>
<p>“One more word from you and I won’t hesitate to.”</p>
<p>“But if my face is ruined, what will you fall in love with?”</p>
<p>Oikawa’s question was met with his butt creating a resounding sound on the wooden floor.</p>
<p>As the laughter and games came to a close, the baristas began exiting the cafe, quick goodbyes exchanged as they left, promises to come early the next day coming from each barista. Sugawara, still cataloguing the items they had remaining, was engaged in deep conversation with Kuroo, the two scrunched over spreadsheet upon spreadsheet detailing their inventory and stock; the sight alone made Oikawa’s eyes burn.</p>
<p>Akaashi, seated at a table with Bokuto, was laying on his shoulder, concentrated as he read a book. The latter’s arm was on Akaashi’s shoulder, scrolling through his phone, laughing every so often, quickly showing Akaashi the blinding phone screen before he retracted it. The two’s friendship (relationship?) was confusing at best, but Oikawa found amusement in their silent connection, their opposing personalities further apart than any other pair of people Oikawa had ever seen before.</p>
<p>And Iwaizumi…</p>
<p>“Shittykawa, we have to close up shop tonight,” Iwaizumi announced, tossing the set of keys at Oikawa, who had to make a hasty grab as it sailed towards him. “I want to be home by 11, so we can’t take too long wiping all the tables down.”</p>
<p>“Why by 11?” Oikawa asked, taking a bite of the stale cake on the plate in front of him that Sugawara had snuck out of the bakery section for him. “You’re not fooling me, Iwa-chan. You sleep like a monster, you’re practically nocturnal at this point. You never sleep at 11.”</p>
<p>“What if I wanted to turn my life around and change my lifestyle?”</p>
<p>“That’s equally unlikely,” Oikawa laughed. “Hey!”</p>
<p>At his comment, Iwaizumi grabbed the fork with the precariously balanced piece of cake from his hands, shoving it into his own mouth. Oikawa’s mouth was still open, about to devour the cake.</p>
<p>“Now we’re even,” Iwaizumi laughed, mouth full of cake. “You really are a piece of shit.”</p>
<p>“Am not!”</p>
<p>“Are too.”</p>
<p>“Am not!”</p>
<p>“And you guys really say you aren’t flirting,” Sugawara sighed, cutting into their cat fight, his own plate of cake in his hands.</p>
<p>“We’re not!” Iwaizumi insisted, shooting a glare at Suga. “We really aren’t.”</p>
<p>“Whatever you say,” Sugawara laughed. “I’m about to go home, the rest are leaving too. You two have to close up shop today; just make sure I don’t find any weird substances on the tables tomorrow.”</p>
<p>“What is that supposed to mean?” Iwaizumi demanded, quaffs of uncontrollable laughter leaving Oikawa’s lips as Sugawara waved at the two, exiting the cafe.</p>
<p>“Yeah, Iwa-chan, we can’t let Sugawara find any weird substances on the tables,” Oikawa laughed, waggling his eyebrows at Iwaizumi. Quickly, the laugh turned into a yelp as he sent a tightly balled up rag flying at his arm.</p>
<p>Slowly, all the baristas streamed out, murmurs of thanks directed towards them as they left. Iwaizumi had already begun wiping down the tables, Oikawa organizing the messy unused cups at the counter, wiping down the different machines and countertops, making sure everything was crystal clean before he moved to help Iwaizumi with the tables.</p>
<p>Despite their typical boisterous talks, they were silent this time, barely a word shared between them as they focused on cleaning the cafe, shutting the blinds and dimming the back lights as 11 pm approached. Iwaizumi, now wiping off the last of coffee stains from the tables, rested himself on the single seater sofa, sighing in exhaustion.</p>
<p>“Tired already, Iwa-chan?” Oikawa teased, a half-heartedly flung rag flying at him from where Iwaizumi sat. “You’re almost like an old man!”</p>
<p>“I am older than you, idiot.”</p>
<p>“Oh yes,” Oikawa laughed, making a mock bow towards Iwaizumi. “We must always respect our elders.”</p>
<p>“You—”</p>
<p>With a jolt, Iwaizumi lunged at him, Oikawa barely twisting out of grasp as he ran away from Iwaizumi, brown apron flying as his legs took off, flight or fight instinct running through him. Iwaizumi’s eyes filled with laughter as they stared at Oikawa, its usual serious nature flung away, replaced by pure childish joy. </p>
<p>Hopping over the counter, Oikawa made a face at Iwaizumi, sticking his tongue out. “You’re still slower than me, Iwa-chan. Are you getting old?”</p>
<p>“I can run further than you, you idiot,” Iwaizumi growled, playfulness evident in his voice. As quick as lightning, he moved over the counter, muscles tensing as his arms supported his jump over the marble countertops. With a stream of laughter leaving his lips, Oikawa hopped out of the constricting barista area, making a dash for the end corner of the cafe, tears from his never ending laughter shining in his eyes.</p>
<p>“Iwa-chan can never catch me!” Oikawa teased, jumping just out of reach from Iwaizumi again. “You’re growing old, Iwa-chan. Are you sure you aren’t going to start going ‘when I was your age’ and start lecturing me soon?”</p>
<p>“I’m only a month older than you!”</p>
<p>“A month and ten days, to be exact.”</p>
<p>“You—”</p>
<p>The next half hour was exhilarating. Oikawa jumped out of reach each time Iwaizumi made a grab at him, long legs quickly dashing to the other side of the cafe a barrage of insults yelled at Iwaizumi as he continued to run around the cafe, using the tables to his advantage, gaining a height benefit against Iwaizumi, who was already puffing as he chased Oikawa around the cafe.</p>
<p>“Iwa-chan, maybe it’s because you’re shorter than me,” Oikawa mused, twisted his waist away as Iwaizumi got too close to him.</p>
<p>“By barely 5 centimeters, dumbass.”</p>
<p>“5 centimeters is proving to be a large advantage!” Oikawa laughed, jumping to the cafe countertops. “See? I can even jump that far — look at what an additional 5 centimeters does to you!”</p>
<p>“You idiot!” Iwaizumi grumbled through clenched teeth, panting as sweat trickled down his sideburns, exhaustion evident. “Stop running!” </p>
<p>“If I do, you’ll catch me!”</p>
<p>Again, Oikawa made a leap, jumping at a table this time, knees bracing itself for impact. As Oikawa soared through the air, he made eye contact with Iwaizumi, eyes filling with shock as he watched Oikawa jump towards the table, getting closer and closer…</p>
<p>“See, Iwa-chan? I—”</p>
<p>Before Oikawa could finish his sentence, he felt the weight of the table give out from under him. As quickly as he had jumped off of the counter, he was on the floor, stomach down as his knee collapsed from underneath him. He could hear the sounds of Iwaizumi rushing towards him, but he couldn’t see as crushing pain brought itself on his leg, as if gravity was crumbling the bone to pieces. Beside him, Iwaizumi had turned him to lay on his back, already placing his bunched up apron underneath Oikawa’s leg to support it, experience in dealing with the knee clear as he rolled up Oikawa’s uniformed pants, staring at the inflamed knee.</p>
<p>“You idiot,” Iwaizumi murmured, a barrage of swears coming from his mouth. “You didn’t wear your knee brace?”</p>
<p>“I don’t play volleyball anymore,” Oikawa managed, wincing as Iwaizumi touched the reddening knee with feather light fingers. “I don’t need a knee brace. I can walk properly.”</p>
<p>“You can’t fall without messing it up again, though,” Iwaizumi noted, seething in anger. “How many times have I told you to wear a knee brace, even when you aren’t playing volleyball? And why did you even jump from the countertop to a table that could easily topple over?”</p>
<p>“I didn’t think, okay?” Oikawa bit out, grimacing as he shifted himself on the floor, pushing his body up to a sitting position. “Come on, I’m fine. No major harm was done; I’ll just go home and soak it in cold water to bring  down the inflammation.”</p>
<p>“Knees don’t work like that,” Iwaizumi muttered, checking over the knee in the low light of the cafe. “You can’t just place it in cold water and expect it to heal. What if it gets worse?”</p>
<p>“Nothing can get worse than not being able to play volleyball,” Oikawa grimaced, voice darkening. “The worst has already happened, so experiencing something less than that should be a breeze, wouldn’t it, Iwa-chan?”</p>
<p>“Oikawa—”</p>
<p>“I’m fine,” Oikawa sniffed, indignance rising in him. “I don’t need help, I can walk on my own.”</p>
<p>Slowly, Oikawa pushed himself up, arms quivering as they took the weight of his body. Shifting the weight of his body onto his uninjured leg, Oikawa tested the inflamed leg on the floor gently, placing half of his weight on it as Iwaizumi watched him, concerned eyes scanning his every movement.</p>
<p>“See?” Oikawa smiled loftily. “I told you—”</p>
<p>And it only took him moments to crumple back onto the floor.</p>
<p>As his leg gave away, Oikawa shut his eyes, bracing himself for the impact on the hardwood floor, arms stuck out, a silent prayer in his mind that they would brace the painful impact.</p>
<p>Only the impact never came.</p>
<p>Oikawa opened his eyes. As he did, he met Iwaizumi’s, face only inches from his, strong arms supporting his body, holding him up. For a long moment, Oikawa stared into Iwaizumi’s eyes, the dark black a deep contrast from the tan skin, metal gaze staring straight into Oikawa’s own eyes. Between them, bated breaths resided, the soft inhale and exhale of Iwaizumi’s quickening breathing ghosting against his face, as if caressing him. Oikawa didn’t dare to breathe, simply staring into Iwaizumi’s eyes, holding his gaze there, as if he could keep it with him forever.</p>
<p>“Idiot,” Iwaizumi muttered. “We’ve gone through this before.”</p>
<p>The scene was painfully familiar.</p>
<p>At Iwaizumi's words, Oikawa remembered them, 15, after their first big match. He remembered the tears trickling down his cheeks as the coach subbed him out, the hammering pain in his knee debilitating. He remembered Iwaizumi, right next to him as the medics worked on his knee, close to him as he watched them wrap layers upon layers of bandages on his knee. He wiped away the tears, holding Oikawa’s shoulder tight, soft reassurances leaving his lips.</p>
<p><i>”Don’t work too hard,”</i> he’d said.</p>
<p>His mind flashed to them, 16, freshly humiliated in the face of Shiratorizawa. He remembered Iwaizumi’s strong arms holding him up as he collapsed, his gentle fingers unwrapping the white knee brace, icing the inflammation for hours on end, even when Oikawa had told him to go home.</p>
<p>As the scenes washed itself away from Oikawa’s head, he found himself there again, Iwaizumi’s arms supporting him, holding him close.</p>
<p>“Even if you don’t play anymore, it doesn’t give you a reason to be like this,” Iwaizumi murmured, pulling Oikawa into a tight embrace. “Just because you don’t care for yourself, doesn’t mean your pain won’t hurt someone else.”</p>
<p>Bubbling mirth left Oikawa’s lips, wetness running down his cheeks. “Iwa-chan can’t stand me putting my hand in his back pocket, but he can stand saying lines like that? What a curious creature.”</p>
<p>“I’m not a creature, asshole,” Iwaizumi muttered, moving Oikawa to the sofa, Oikawa’s arm over his shoulder, hobbling on one foot. “I’m perfectly human, thank you very much.”</p>
<p>“What if you’re an alien?”</p>
<p>“You’re crazy.”</p>
<p>The two sat, Oikawa’s foot rested on a chair, Iwaizumi next to him as he iced the knee, taking care as he tied the ice pack to his knee, tightening it. </p>
<p>“Tell me the truth, though,” Oikawa murmured, watching as Iwaizumi returned to the seat beside him, ice pack neatly fastened onto his leg. “Why were you so flustered when I put my hand in your pocket? It’s not like I haven’t touched your butt before, especially when I kick your ass at everything in volleyball.”</p>
<p>“When do you ever kick my ass in volleyball?” Iwaizumi demanded, smacking Oikawa on the head.</p>
<p>“You can’t debilitate the already injured man, Iwa-chan!”</p>
<p>“No one’s here to arrest me, idiot.”</p>
<p>“Mean,” Oikawa murmured, sticking his tongue out at Iwaizumi. “You see, Iwa-chan, this is why the girls go for me and not you. But, really, you haven’t answered my question.”</p>
<p>“What is there to answer?” Iwaizumi asked, averting his gaze to the sky.</p>
<p>“Your face was red when I did it,” Oikawa teased, moving closer to Iwaizumi as he waggled his eyebrows teasingly at him. “Why?”</p>
<p>“Because,” Iwaizumi murmured, eyes distant, falling into thought, “it makes me want to do this.”</p>
<p>Before Oikawa’s eyes could leave Iwaizumi’s, their lips pressed together. The kiss was chaste, gentle as Iwaizumi cradled his jaw, pure, innocent, free of any intention. It was soft, the simple pressing of lips, yet it filled Oikawa. As it continued, Oikawa felt himself sigh in contentment, leaning deeper into the kiss, calm running through his veins, engulfing him. Iwaizumi’s scent crept over him, intoxicating him, head emptying as his mind was filled with thoughts of Iwaizumi, slowly taking over him.</p>
<p>As they pulled apart, Iwaizumi gave him a rare, soft, hesitant smile. “Your question has been answered.”</p>
<p>Oikawa smiled. “I should put my hand into your back pocket more, then!”</p>
<p>A yelp escaped his lips as Iwaizumi flung another cleaning rag at him, landing squarely on his face. “I swear I’ll murder you, Oikawa Tooru!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i hope you liked it!! if you did, please consider dropping a kudos and comment &lt;3 :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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